[tomder55]

The controversy surrounding the President of Iran Ahmamadjihad's request to visit Ground Zero in NYC recalls a time when Teddy Roosevelt was the Police Commissioner of the city . [hat tip the NY Sun which added this to the bottom of their article about his visit]

New York City Police Department officials said yesterday that the city would deploy thousands of its officers to protect Mr. Ahmadinejad, along with the leaders of Iraq and Afghanistan and other countries as they gather for the 62nd session of the General Assembly, which technically opens today. Streets will be blocked off to protect the dignitaries as they move through the city and also to accommodate dozens of protests.

The visits by the high-profile heads of state attending the U.N. meetings could set back city taxpayers millions of dollars that the federal government may — or may not — reimburse, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday.

"We'll do whatever we can, regardless of the cost, and then we'll try to get the federal government to pay the security costs, which they are obligated to do for U.N. visitors under an agreement in which they seldom do. But we're not going to spare any expense," he said.

The police commissioner, Raymond Kelly, called the General Assembly security task "a major operation for us, but it's something we've done every year for many years in the past."

The prospect of Mr. Ahmadinejad visiting the city recalled the famous reaction of Theodore Roosevelt to the visit of a German anti-Semite to the city back in the days when Roosevelt was police commissioner. In his autobiography, published in 1913, Roosevelt wrote about how he assigned to the anti-Semite an all-Jewish security detail.

"The proper thing to do was to make him ridiculous," Roosevelt wrote. "It was the most effective possible answer; and incidentally it was an object lesson to our people, whose greatest need is to learn that there must be no division by class hatred."

New York Braces for Ahmadinejad - September 18, 2007 - The New York Sun

[iamgrowler]

So, he would get what, a security detail made up entirely of Sunni Muslims?:D

[labman]

He could change him mind. Krushchev didn't get to go to Disneyland.

[tomder55]

I think he could schedule a trip to The Museum of Jewish Heritage near Battery Park since he will be in the neighborhood.

index

[Choux]

I think the United Nations should be moved to Europe, Bergen Belsen or Auschwitz preferably, so all the member nations don't lose sight of the horrors they visit upon each other.

[shygrneyzs]

Teddy Roosevelt had some darn good ideas, didn't he? Thanks, Tom, for posting this.

[inthebox]

Yes

An all Jewish security detail.

And maybe Hizzonner can use his largess to pay for the security.






Grace and Peace

[tomder55]

Choux

Either there or even better Darfur so they can witness first hand the definition of genocide.

BBC NEWS | Africa | Analysis: Defining genocide

[tomder55]

Update

There was a send off parade for Iran President Mahmoud Ahmamadjihad featuring an overflight of fighter jets and a procession of Ghadr missiles painted with the slogans "Down with the U.S." and "Down with Israel."Ghadr missiles have a range of 1100 miles;capable of hitting Israel.

The Mahdi Hatter plans to kick off his victory tour with an interview on 60 Minutes tonight. All the better to address the American people directly .

Here is a released portion of the transcript .

PELLEY: Mr. President, do you intend to press your request to visit the World Trade Center site?

AHMADINEJAD: Well, it was included in my program. If we have the time and the conditions are conducive, I will try to do that.

PELLEY: But the New York Police Department and others do not appear to want you there. Do you intend to go there anyway?

AHMADINEJAD: Well, over there, local officials need to make the necessary coordinations. If they can’t do that, I won’t insist.

PELLEY: Sir, what were you thinking? The World Trade Center site is the most sensitive place in the American heart, and you must have known that visiting there would be insulting to many, many Americans.

AHMADINEJAD: Why should it be insulting?

PELLEY: But the American people, sir, believe that your country is a terrorist nation, exporting terrorism in the world. You must have known that visiting the World Trade Center site would infuriate many Americans.

AHMADINEJAD: Well, I’m amazed. How can you speak for the whole of the American nation?

PELLEY: Well, the American nation–

AHMADINEJAD: You are representing a media and you’re a reporter. The American nation is made up of 300 million people. There are different points of view over there.

DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 2007®

Hello!! He is neither representing the American people or the media as a whole ;he is asking a very simple question . BTW,Pelley in this instance has a pretty good idea of the American mood in this case.